


A Night, Full of Stars

by Aoaka_chan



Category: Free!
Genre: History, M/M, Past Issues, RinHaru Week 2018, day1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 06:38:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17038631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aoaka_chan/pseuds/Aoaka_chan
Summary: Rin waned to talk to Haru about this for months now, he just needed to find the chance ...





	A Night, Full of Stars

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the new Drama-CD cover, aka Rin and Haru's date under the stars.

“The sky is really clear tonight,” Rin said gazing at the stars shining brightly in the sky, “guess we got pretty lucky.”  
He heard Haru humming in agreement beside him, without further comment, which wasn’t really surprising, although Rin did notice that Haru has become generally better at talking, he even noticed how Haru tried to keep the conversation going earlier in the car, he was asking about him, about Sydney, about his life there, and Rin was answering giddily the whole time, because well .. Haru was interested, and that meant a lot to him, even if no one knows how much exactly.

Haru was right earlier, they don’t get to have long talks that often, the occurred rarely if he was being honest, even if there was just so much he wanted to talk to him about, every time he sees him and he meets his blue eyes, he loses all words and coherent thoughts, he goes on Automatic mode, because otherwise, if he thinks about it, he’ll become a blushing, stuttering mess, and that’s never good.

But, despite everything, there was something he absolutely wanted to talk with Haru about, something has been bothering him for years, ever since Rei tod him in a yelling manner how heart broken Haru was when Rin lost that race and went back to Australia to cut all ties with his friends back in Japan, he got to know more about it from Natsuya when they met in Sydney, though he didn’t know that it was Rin who hurt Haru in middle school, he didn’t know he was the reason Haru quit the swimming club then, Rin knew on some level that Haru felt guilty for his fallout at the time, and he wanted nothing more than to assure Haru that he had nothing to do with that, Rin has been going through a hard time before he met Haru that day, and that race was just the breaking point for him, he didn’t talk about it after they restored their friendship, because firstly he didn’t know how big of an impact it was on Haru, and secondly, it was just embarrassing to even think about that time, how he acted all dramatic and childish, but then again, he _was_ just a child.

Ever since, he wanted to talk to Haru about this, he knows from the countless times he stared at Haru’s contact information, willing himself to call but chickening out the last minute every time, promising himself to talk to Haru face to face when they finally met. He doesn’t know if Haru still has these feelings or he forgot about them long ago and talking about it now would just be weird and awkward, but it has been long enough for Rin to know, it will always be at the top of his mind until he talked with Haru and explained himself.

He had always found excuses to postpone this talk, because, let’s face it, it was uncomfortable, and the fact that Rin doesn’t know how Haru is going react is much worse, he didn’t want to be pitied, but at the same time he didn’t want Haru to dismiss it altogether.

“Rin?”

He looked at Haru a bit startled by the sudden call, to find worried blue eyes staring at him carefully, waiting, expecting … It took Rin a few seconds to realize that he was staring at the ground, probably frowning, just after he was saying how beautiful the stars and the night was.

“Is everything ok?”

“Yeah,” Rin answered with a sigh, breaking eye contact, swearing inwardly at his weird behaviour.

“Really?”

Haru was concerned, and Rin couldn’t help but be a little happy about it.

“I have a question for you.” He said on an impulse, turning to face Haru and leaning his side on the car.

Haru just looked confused for a minute, while Rin was panicking inside, because -simply put- he had no freaking question!

“Sure.” Haru said calmly, turning to face Rin as well.

“Have I told you about the time I met Natsuya-san in Australia?”

“Natsuya-senpai?”

“Yeah, it was an accident, he came to our club in Sydney, he wanted coach Michail to be his one-on-one coach, but it didn’t work out in the end because his muscles were ... well anyway,” he paused a little because he knew he was starting to get nervous and babble, “We got to talking and he told me how you quit the swimming club the second year, how ..” Rin stopped for moment and opted not to tell Haru how he knew he was depressed for a while after that, “And Rei before told me how you were upset after our race that time and you thought you’re the reason why I quit so you quit too and …” he stopped again, because he was sure he was not making any sense and there was a good chance that Haru didn’t understand a thing he said and was just confused by Rin’s awkward word-vomit.

His hand went through his hair in a frustrated matter, he looked at Haru again, hating the fact that he can’t get anything from his expression.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’ve ever felt like you’re the reason I quit swimming or the reason I had a hard time after that, you weren’t.” Rin wanted to follow that with an awkward laugh and shrug it off, but was stunned with the look in Haru’s eyes, the way they were sparkling, not the Pool-sparkle but an entirely different kind of sparkle, that Rin was witnessing for the first time.

“Really?”

The vulnerability in his voice made Rin’s heart feels like it’s been stabbed with a million tiny needles, he felt like crying to be honest, because, and although it was not a completely new information, hearing Haru confirm it, confirm the he blamed himself for Rin’s fallout back then is just more painful than he imagined it would be, and from his answer maybe he still does?

“Yes really,” he chocked out, “God Haru, you have no idea, I was already on the edge that time we met, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do or what I was going to do, I was just a kid, I never meant to hurt you.”

Haru’s lips quirked up a bit, before sighing and leaning his back on the car.

“Well, that’s a relief.” His gaze was back on the stars.

Rin also turned to look at the stars, “Besides,” he turned to look at Haru, shoulders almost touching, he looked stunning as he watched the stars, their reflection making him shine better than any star in the sky. “You’re the one who made it all better in the end.” _My shining._

“It?” Haru said, gaze fixed on the sky.

“Well … everything,” Where would he even start? “I told you already, haven’t I? Without you I have nothing to aim for you know.”

Haru looked at him again with an expression he couldn’t quit interpret, he realized what he just said, and looked away before Haru could notice the heat creeping into his cheeks, “So, Thank you.”

He could feel Haru’s gaze still on him, “And .. I’m sorry you quit swimming in middle school because of me, it’s the last thing I ever want to be, even after being a stage beetle.” He said in light tone.

He heard Haru huff a laugh, and Rin couldn’t help but look to see Haru’s smile, his heart racing at the gentle-smiley look Haru was giving him, “You would rather be a stage-beetle than be the reason I stop swimming?”

Rin felt his cheeks getting a tad warmer but hoped the darkness around them would hide it, “Well … yeah.”

Haru’s smile grew a bit wider, which did wonders to Rin’s heart, “Thank you Rin,” Haru said with the gentlest, lowest voice Rin had ever heard, “You’re very important to me too.”

Rin’s brain registered the words, and Haru’s smile was still there, and his eyes were just so blue, all Rin wanted to do on that moment, is to grab him and kiss him, on his lips, on his forehead, on his cheek and everywhere he can, because he was just being too precious in this moment.

Rin jolted when he realized he was leaning in, “Well I guess we should get going, we don’t want to stay up late, right?” he moved away with a nervous laugh.

Was he really going to kiss Haru just like that? And ruin everything again because he was too stupid to control himself for a few seconds more? these feelings towards Haru were no joke, no one can ever know about them, especially Haru.

Just as he was stepping away, he felt a strong tug backwards on his right foot, which he recognised as Haru standing over one of his loos shoelace, all he knew that moment is that he lost his balance and was ungracefully falling down.

“Careful!” he heard Haru say before he tried to catch him out of reflex, but because of the awkward position and the fact that Rin is heavier than Haru they were both trampling down on the sand, something soft broke his fall, and to his horror he realized it was Haru, who had somehow gotten under him, he hefted himself on his elbows and looked down to make sure Haru was okay.

He couldn’t help but stare.

Rin managed at some point during their fall to unconsciously put his hand behind Haru’s head, thankfully protecting from a serious hit, but what caught his attention was the feeling of Haru’s hair between his fingers, they were really _really_ soft, more so than he ever imagined they would be, then he locked eyes with the boy sprawled underneath him, Rin couldn’t help but gasp at the sight in front of him, he has always been fascinated with Haru’s blue eyes, even as a child, but now they looked even more beautiful if possible, more so than the sky itself, with the way a thousand little stars were shining in them, better than any sight he has ever seen.

In that moment he realized it was going to happen either way, he was going to kiss Haru, he didn’t care anymore about the consequences of his actions, he just wanted to touch those beautifully parted pink lips with his own, and the rest of the world can go and fuck itself for all he cares.

“I really hope I’m not ruining everything again.” He whispered, before leaning in and lightly brushing his lips against Haru’s, not even in a real kiss, just a touching of lips. He heard Haru gasp loudly, and it was like an iced-water bucket being emptied on his head.   
That’s it, he went there and did it, he ruined everything he tried to build with Haru for years, but just as he was trying to scramble away form him and think of an excuse to explain himself, he felt arms wrap around his neck and pull him down harshly for another messy press pf lips, albeit a bit more forceful, Rin made a sound in his throat as his lips crashed against Haru’s, he wasn’t exactly sure what kind of voice it was, he just knew that Haru was clutching him, pressing down hard enough for Rin to feel his teeth behind his lips.

After a few seconds though, Haru did let go, and Rin lifted his head a bit to look at his childhood friend with astonishment, he never thought something like this could really happen in life, he felt like the luckiest man on earth as he stared at Haru’s eyes, closely observing Haru’s flushed face for a few seconds before pressing a light kiss on the corner of his lips.

“Guess it won’t be so bad if we were a little late." 

He whispered before diving in for a real kiss this time, lips moving against each other, gentle, slow and sensual, and the most important thing, reciprocated.  

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's tacky ... I love it!


End file.
